It was a good season to be a Jay Beagle fan, which we are. We just watched him wrap up the best season of his career, plus he got a new cell phone. Beagle was so good, he might have just played himself out of a contract.

p.s. I vow to use no dog puns in this whole article.

By the Numbers

62

Games played

12:49

Average time on ice per game

10

Goals

10

Assists

50.9%

Shot attempt percentage during 5v5

53.1%

Goal percentage during 5v5

Beagle’s on-ice shot-attempt percentage in 10-game running segments, according to War on Ice

Peter’s Take

In 2014-15, Jay Beagle hit career highs in the following:

games played (62, tied with last season)

ice time (794, 12:49 per game)

goals scored (10, all at even strength)

assists (10)

on-ice shot-attempt percentage (51.2 percent, adjusted for score)

shots fired (84)

And speaking of shots fired, Beagle can no longer be a Washington Capital. Wrapping up the final year of his contract, earning a cool million for a great season, Beagle is due to be an unrestricted free agent. And like a number of beloved bottom-six Caps of yore like Matt Bradley, Matt Hendricks, and Boy Gordon, he’s earned a payday– but it’ll have to be out of town. There are just too many players at or about Jay Beagle’s talent level who are also at or below his salary to justify the pay raise he’s gonna get.

And regarding the circumstances leading to that pay raise, let’s consider Beagle’s usage this season. First, he certainly benefited from the Barry Bounce (or was it the Oates Obliteration?), jumping from a miserable 44.6 in possession up to a woo-hoo 51.2 percent, but he also got about the same top-line ice time that Oates gave Beagle last spring to much derision. Except this time, Beagle was on the wing instead of at center. And man did that pay dividends:

Season

5v5 Minutes With Ovi

Possession %

Goal %

2013-14

109

42.6%

0.0%

2014-15

112

43.4%

46.2%

Just kidding. It didn’t work at all.

But I’m not giving Beagle a hard time for playing well or for the circumstances into which he was thrown. He is a great depth player and a universally loved guy in Arlington. He plays his style of hockey well: a fundamentals-based grinding game, heavy on the walls (and you know how Trotz loves Heavy Hockey), with a top-notch work ethic. He’ll be an asset to whatever team signs him, even if his paycheck outstrips his production.

Because Beags really is the best. Maybe this next section will tell you why better than my analysis ever could.